German Hazelnut Cookies & Savory Olive-,Nut Bread

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              FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a good one from Anna Welander in Uppsala, Sweden:

A customer at Morris' Grocery marveled at the proprietor's
quick wit and intelligence. "Tell me, Morris, what makes you
so smart?"

"I wouldn't share my secret with just anyone," Morris replies,
lowering his voice so the other shoppers won't hear, "But since
you're a good and faithful customer, I'll let you in on it. Fish
heads. You eat enough of them, you'll be positively brilliant."

"You sell them here?" the customer asks.

"Only $4 apiece," says Morris.

The customer buys three. A week later, he's back in the store
complaining that the fish heads were disgusting and he isn't
any smarter.

"You didn't eat enough," says Morris.

The customer goes home with 20 more fish heads. Two weeks
later, he's back and this time he's really angry. "Hey, Morris,"
he says, "You're selling me fish heads for $4 apiece when I just
found out I can buy the whole fish for $2. You're ripping me off!"

"You see?" says Morris. "You're smarter already."

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              TODAY'S RECIPES
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The Germans have a number of traditional holiday cookies, and
these are among my favorites.

German Hazelnut Cookies

1 1/4 lbs (550 g) of hazelnuts (filberts)
1cup (250 ml) egg whites (about 10 eggs)
1 tsp (5 ml) cream of tartar
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla
2 cups (500 ml) powdered (confectioner's) sugar

Prepare meringue by whipping the egg whites in a large 3-qt (3 L)
stainless steel mixing bowl. (Be sure it is very clean and cool.) Add
the egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Whip
until the meringue peaks. Set aside 48 nuts for garnish. Grind the
remainder of the nuts in a hand-cranked grinder (one that is made for
nuts) or a food processor. Add only a small amount of nuts at a time,
so the grinds are consistent. They should be a little larger than the
size of grated Parmesan. In another mixing bowl, fold 4-5 cups
(1-1.25 L) of the meringue into the grated nuts. The consistency
should be similar to a play-dough. It holds together very nicely, and
is pliable. Make into 1 1/2 inch (3 cm) balls, and place 1 inch (2.5
cm) apart on a greased cookie sheet. Place remaining meringue in
a pastry bag or a 1 qt (1 L) Zip-lock bag with one of the corners
snipped off. Dip your finger in water and make a dimple in each
cookie. Top each with a dab of meringue squeezed through the
corner hole in the Zip-lock bag, and place a hazelnut on top. Bake
in a 325F (165C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the meringue just
starts to brown slightly. Makes 20 to 25 cookies.

This quick bread is full of the flavors of the Mediterranean.

Savory Olive-Nut Bread

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
4 tsp (20 ml) double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
1 cup (250 ml) whole-wheat flour
1 egg
1 cup (250 ml) milk
2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
3/4 cup (180 ml) chopped cured black and/or
green olives, such as Kalamata or Nicoise
3/4 cup (180 ml) chopped walnuts, pecans,
or pine nuts
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried oregano, crushed

Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and optional
cayenne. Combine with the whole-wheat flour. Whisk together the
egg, milk, and olive oil in a small bowl and add to the flour mixture,
stirring just enough to combine. Add the olives, nuts, and oregano.
Place the batter in a greased loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350F
(180C) oven for 45 minutes. Makes 1 loaf.
Received on Tue Dec 5 08:18:42 2006